Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise’s film Eyes Wide Shut set a record that Hollywood never wants to break. What we see on the screen is a two- to three-hour film, but what we fail to realize is the toil behind making a three-hour-long film.
The endurance these actors possess is indeed commendable, but the patience Kidman has shown by filming a 15-month-long film is indeed unmatchable for any Hollywood actor yet. The film directed by Stanley Kubrick made history in the world of cinema, yet the director apparently claimed it to be a “piece of sh*t.”
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise set a bizarre record
There have been several records set in the film industry, but there is this one record set by Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise’s film that no one dares to break. Two years prior to their separation, Cruise and Kidman collaborated on the 1999 psychological drama Eyes Wide Shut. The film was directed by the legendary filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, which was also his last film before passing away.
Kubrick, who is known for his keen eye for detailing, took longer than expected to deliver the masterpiece. The duration of filming the movie was so long that it set a Guinness World Record for the “longest constant film shoot,” which kept on going for more than 15 months.
Perhaps the reason behind this constantly expanding project was the complex story of the film. The film narrates the tale of a married couple, where the husband suspects that his wife is having an affair, following which he embarks on a bizarre journey.
With such an intriguing plotline, the movie was indeed worth the hype. The film is regarded as one of Stanley’s best. However, Kubrick was perhaps not content with his work, as during an interview, one of his friends revealed that Kubrick called his last film a “piece of sh*t.”
What made Stanley Kubrick call his classic film a piece of s*it?
Stanley Kubrick is known for directing some incredible films like A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Barry Lyndon. Throughout his filmmaking career, the director has earned several accolades. Indeed, his contribution to the film industry is commendable.
For Kubrick, filmmaking was certainly a major part of his life, as he breathed his last after completing one last film of his career.
The director passed away six days after completing the iconic piece. The film was released on July 16, 1999, and was well acclaimed by the audience. The film grossed around $162 million worldwide, making it Kubrick’s highest-grossing film. Despite this, the director called it a piece of sh*t.
During an interview, the late actor R. Lee Ermey claimed that Kubrick was disgusted with Eyes Wide Shut. The actor said,
“We had a long conversation about ‘Eyes Wide Shut.’ He told me it was a piece of s*it, that he was disgusted with it, and that the critics were going to have him for lunch. He said Cruise and Kidman had their way with him—exactly the words he used.”
However, further, the actor clarified what exactly Kubrick meant by his words. He said,
“He [Stanley Kubrick] was kind of a shy little timid guy. He wasn’t real forceful. That’s why he didn’t appreciate working with big, high-powered actors. They would have their way with him, he would lose control, and his movie would turn to s*it.”
Being an introvert, Kubrick had his reason, unlike the film, but less did he know that he had created a masterpiece. Though the film is quite underrated, its hype during its time was unmatchable. And since the hype is over now, a rewatch can be a great pastime for the viewers.
Eyes Wide Shut can be streamed on Paramount Plus.
Source: The Digital Fix, IndieWire
